Michael Barone is always worth reading but something this week caught my eye:
Around 100 years ago Finnish immigrants flocked to the mines and woods of the country around Lake Superior, where the topography and weather must have seemed familiar. They’ve been a mostly Democratic, sometimes even radical voting bloc ever since. No more, it seems. Going into the election, the three most Finnish districts, Michigan 1, Wisconsin 7 and Minnesota 8, all fronting on Lake Superior, were represented by two Democratic committee chairmen and the chairman of an Energy and Commerce subcommittee, with a total of 95 years of seniority.
Wisconsin’s David Obey and Michigan’s Bart Stupak both chose to retire, and were replaced by Republicans who had started running before their announcements. Minnesota’s James Oberstar was upset by retired Northwest pilot and stay-at-home dad Chip Cravaack.
So here’s a new rule for the political scientists: As go the Finns, so goes America.
Barone may not be aware of this but so many Finns settled in Fitchburg that there is still a Finish Consulate in town. The town went big for Scott Brown and if I’m not mistaken narrowly for Bill Gunn in the last election.
Mildred Jefferson was the first black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School. This is the type of thing that one might have seen moving tributes on many TV shows. Not simple editorials but large tributes in papers and perhaps even a major magazine article. After all her achievement was not insignificant, it was in 1951 that she graduated from Harvard Medical. This is in the middle of Jim Crow, before MLK.
Why is there less fuss? Because of quotes like this:
“I became a physician in order to help save lives. I am at once a physician, a citizen, and a woman, and I am not willing to stand aside and allow the concept of expendable human lives to turn this great land of ours into just another exclusive reservation where only the perfect, the privileged, and the planned have the right to live.”
I met her only one, during the hearings in Fitchburg in January. I actually had no idea who she was, but said this about her testimony:
With a quiet and calm demeanor she made the case that Fitchburg would be a less pleasant place with Planned parenthood. Her best argument however was the description of Planned Parenthood in terms of practices and their use of organizations that they fund to support their positions as if they were independent.
Consider, this is a person who is known within the movement and must have had many demands on her time and life, and yet, on a cold winter day she made the time to come to Fitchburg Mass. to fight for the lives of the unborn.
I consider myself a well-informed person and one who follows history, I am shocked that I didn’t know this woman, but I shouldn’t be, because the MSM and foes of abortion could not allow it for they might be inspired and that can’t be allowed to happen.
I’ve been to every precinct in the city so far and this is what I saw.
In ward 6 where two years ago I stood alone a group held signs for republican candidates
Republicans in 2010 Ward 6
The only candidate on the democratic side promoted was Tom Foley for Sheriff
The only democrat signs in 6
I have never in my life seen more people holding signs for a question than for a candidate
Anti Question 1-3 electioneering
I was so struck by that I interviewed a gentleman there
Foley has drawn a fair amount of support. I’ve met him personally and I’m not surprised by that.
The man on the right is a republican but he is for Foley
There was a group of FSU students interviewing people for a government project, I asked them why they didn’t cover the Gunn event at the college, none of them had been told even though every teacher got an e-mail about it.
Where were these college folks when Gunn was on Campus?
In Ward five the turnout was VERY high, particularly in 5a
Ward 5 very busy
I talked to David Roth who I knew from high school, he was a year ahead of me.
In Ward 4 it was the same story
Two Poll workers in Ward 4
Ward 2 also had a very steady stream, their totals were already over the primaries before noon
Posing at the machine in Ward 2a
In ward three there were two big surprises. My mother who works the polls told me it was very steady, in the second ward the numbers were already over 800 by 12:30 p.m.
Ward 3 the busiest ward in town
In both wards 6 and 3 there were Democratic poll watchers checking to see if they needed to get their people out if they hadn’t voted. Two people I met at the Mayday march were also in 6 and 3. We disagree but they are very nice and I’m always pleased to see them.
I ran into John Olver in Ward 3. I still think he is dead wrong but I’ve learned to respect him as a gentleman who has never treated me with anything but respect. He has run a clean and honorable campaign.
John Olver and supporters in Fitchburg on election day
Ex Mayor Mylot was there as well, he was supporting the republican ticket. The men on the left holding signs for Lew held them for Bove in the primary at the same spot.
Ex Mayor Mylot in ward 3
The Shock of the day came as Bill Gunn showed up at the same time and he and Congressman Olver posed for a picture together.
Bill Gunn (r) and congressman John Olver (D) civil and honorable opponents
This was the picture of the day, although I think it will be a close race both have run positive, clean and issue oriented campaigns, it’s been an example to the entire nation.
In ward one the trend of incredible numbers continued:
Ward one with a full house
And the electioneering continued, the most popular democrat in the area is clearly Foley
Signs for foley in ward 1
Republicans signs were in every place except for ward 4 downtown.
Republicans holding signs in ward 1
Bottom line all signs point toward huge turnout and if the Scott Brown trend of January is a barometer, then I’d be worried if I was the left
There were over 100 votes between A & B already and a very steady stream of voters
This is the first time I’ve ever seen poll watchers
Two years ago I was the lonely person holding a sign for McCain and Palin. today there were 5 people holding republican signs and a single person holding one sign…for Sheriff.
If this is being repeated all over the state then democrats….Be Afraid, be very afraid!
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